A wonderfully friendly and inclusive book about the connection between food and love, of sharing and caring whether eating separately or together. Award-winning food writer Clare Finney, has allowed intimate access to her own relationship with food while also opening a welcoming window to the world-wide unifying view of food when linked to people. As she says: “to break bread with friends doesn’t just mean to eat with them. It means to socialise, share and chew over thoughts and experiences. It means to partake in a tradition that transcends countries and cultures; that represents civilisation, conviviality and hope”. I loved how open and honest she was, sharing personal information encourages a connection and what feels like a conversation, which in turn forges understanding. So much of what she said echoed in the deepest parts of my heart and soul. If you are fortunate enough to be able to explore the realms of possibility that food offers, then it is likely that this book will speak to you. It includes recipes that have meaning, from comforting nostalgic sharing food, or celebratory occasions, through to nourishing solo bites. This is so much more than the recipes though, it is a heartfelt memoir, a journey through meaning of food, and it is truly lovely. Chosen as a LoveReading Star Book, Hungry Heart welcomes and offers the warmest of hugs as you ponder your own and others relationships with food. Highly recommended.
Award-winning food writer Clare Finney presents a moving, heartfelt exploration of the intertwining influences of food and love From family feasts to comfort foods, first dates to office cake; how does what we eat define us, and the relationships we have with others? Award-winning food writer Clare Finney delves into these questions with a rare and insightful sensitivity, telling a powerful story of life and love whilst uncovering the manifold ways in which food touches all relationships: from perfect strangers to partners, parents and friends. Beginning with a childhood spent in her grandmother's hotel kitchen and ending at her grandfather's bedside, she charts a course through the meals and recipes which have shaped the person she is today. Finney also investigates the role food plays in a modern society which can often feel isolating, exploring how eating unites us in varied ways throughout our lives. From the dance of culinary courtship entailed in dating to the funeral foods that remind us of the connections between life and death, Finney examines the power of food and drink to attract, bind and define us – and of course, its power to divide and repel. At a time when our relationship towards what, when and where we eat has become increasingly complicated, Hungry Heart is a feast; an honest, heart-warming account of humans breaking bread together and what that really means.